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Isle Royale
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
Shipwrecks, gangsters, and the mother of all storms. Living in a lighthouse can be murder.
SYNOPSIS:
The year is 1924. The place: Isle Royale, a remote island on Lake Superior. Clarence MacDougal, keeper of Wolf Point Lighthouse, stands ready to guide sailors through treacherous waters.
One storm-tossed night, French-Canadian smugglers arrive. The gang’s leader is Sean LeBeck, a former lover of Collene MacDougal—the lightkeeper’s wife. LeBeck is determined to rescue Collene from her dreary life and rekindle their old passion, even if it means taking her off the island by force.
The lightkeeper’s son, Ian, escapes during the storm, only to stumble upon a hidden cove, home of the last remaining members of the Coast Guard cutter "Chippewa." A dark secret forced the crew to banish themselves on the island. Given one last chance at redemption, the ancient mariners set out on stormy Lake Superior in a desperate attempt to save the day.
"Isle Royale" is approximately 72,000 words.
AMAZON READER REVIEW -- 5 STARS
"A rip-roaring historical adventure set in the delightfully unusual setting of Lake Superior's Isle Royale. Hamilton's love for the locale comes shining through; Lake Superior at times seems one of the characters in the drama. A carefully-researched Great War flashback is almost a novella within a novel, while providing crucial motivation for the story."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John Hamilton is a bestselling author and journalist. His work includes books about fantasy & folklore, science fiction, the national parks, and pirates. "Lewis & Clark: Adventures West" (Sparrow Media Group) was a finalist at the 17th Annual Minnesota Book Awards in 2005. He is a two-time Golden Duck Award winner for excellence in children’s science fiction literature. John can be found most summers hiking along Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior. He is also an award-winning photojournalist and nature photographer. Connect with John online at: www.johnchamilton.com.
Shipwrecks, gangsters, and the mother of all storms. Living in a lighthouse can be murder.
SYNOPSIS:
The year is 1924. The place: Isle Royale, a remote island on Lake Superior. Clarence MacDougal, keeper of Wolf Point Lighthouse, stands ready to guide sailors through treacherous waters.
One storm-tossed night, French-Canadian smugglers arrive. The gang’s leader is Sean LeBeck, a former lover of Collene MacDougal—the lightkeeper’s wife. LeBeck is determined to rescue Collene from her dreary life and rekindle their old passion, even if it means taking her off the island by force.
The lightkeeper’s son, Ian, escapes during the storm, only to stumble upon a hidden cove, home of the last remaining members of the Coast Guard cutter "Chippewa." A dark secret forced the crew to banish themselves on the island. Given one last chance at redemption, the ancient mariners set out on stormy Lake Superior in a desperate attempt to save the day.
"Isle Royale" is approximately 72,000 words.
AMAZON READER REVIEW -- 5 STARS
"A rip-roaring historical adventure set in the delightfully unusual setting of Lake Superior's Isle Royale. Hamilton's love for the locale comes shining through; Lake Superior at times seems one of the characters in the drama. A carefully-researched Great War flashback is almost a novella within a novel, while providing crucial motivation for the story."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John Hamilton is a bestselling author and journalist. His work includes books about fantasy & folklore, science fiction, the national parks, and pirates. "Lewis & Clark: Adventures West" (Sparrow Media Group) was a finalist at the 17th Annual Minnesota Book Awards in 2005. He is a two-time Golden Duck Award winner for excellence in children’s science fiction literature. John can be found most summers hiking along Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior. He is also an award-winning photojournalist and nature photographer. Connect with John online at: www.johnchamilton.com.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 12, 2010
22 people are currently reading
172 people want to read
About the author
John Hamilton
487 books34 followersJohn Hamilton is a best-selling novelist and author of more than 275 nonfiction books for young adults. An Active Member of the Western Writers of America and the Wild West History Association, his work has received critical acclaim from School Library Journal, Children's Literature, The Sioux City Journal, We Proceeded On (the official journal of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation), and many others.
John's young adult book "Battle of the Little Bighorn" earned 2015 Spur Award Finalist honors from the Western Writers of America. He is a two-time winner of the Golden Duck Award for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction Literature, and his epic retelling of the Lewis & Clark expedition, "Lewis & Clark: Adventures West," was a Minnesota Book Award finalist for Young Adult Nonfiction. School Library Journal said "(Hamilton's) books present a remarkable amount of information and provide readers with a clear understanding of complicated issues."
John is also an award-winning photojournalist and landscape photographer. His rodeo photography won an Editor's Choice Award from the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
John holds black belts in both Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu. He loves target shooting, baking bread, and playing with Finn, his trusty schnauzer. He can be found most summers with his family either exploring the American West or hiking along Minnesota's rugged North Shore.
Connect with John at: www.johnchamilton.com
John's young adult book "Battle of the Little Bighorn" earned 2015 Spur Award Finalist honors from the Western Writers of America. He is a two-time winner of the Golden Duck Award for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction Literature, and his epic retelling of the Lewis & Clark expedition, "Lewis & Clark: Adventures West," was a Minnesota Book Award finalist for Young Adult Nonfiction. School Library Journal said "(Hamilton's) books present a remarkable amount of information and provide readers with a clear understanding of complicated issues."
John is also an award-winning photojournalist and landscape photographer. His rodeo photography won an Editor's Choice Award from the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
John holds black belts in both Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu. He loves target shooting, baking bread, and playing with Finn, his trusty schnauzer. He can be found most summers with his family either exploring the American West or hiking along Minnesota's rugged North Shore.
Connect with John at: www.johnchamilton.com
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 15, 2016
This was a really good adventure story. I'm familiar with John Hamilton's work, and I know he's a history buff and that his work is always well researched. This one was no exception in that regard.
So we have an adventure story set on Lake Superior in the 1920s. I love the setting and the time period, and I like lighthouses as well, and one plays a central part in this storyline. There's also smugglers and a backstory that goes back to World War One. There's a flashback in the story to WWI that makes me think Hamilton should write a novel about WWI. Just very gripping stuff.
There's mystery, action, adventure, history, stormy seas, salty sailors and even some romance. It's also a very original story, as I don't think I've read anything quite like this before. It's listed as "young adult" but really is entertaining for readers of all ages.
If you like adventure stories, especially historical adventures, this one is well worth your time.
So we have an adventure story set on Lake Superior in the 1920s. I love the setting and the time period, and I like lighthouses as well, and one plays a central part in this storyline. There's also smugglers and a backstory that goes back to World War One. There's a flashback in the story to WWI that makes me think Hamilton should write a novel about WWI. Just very gripping stuff.
There's mystery, action, adventure, history, stormy seas, salty sailors and even some romance. It's also a very original story, as I don't think I've read anything quite like this before. It's listed as "young adult" but really is entertaining for readers of all ages.
If you like adventure stories, especially historical adventures, this one is well worth your time.
June 18, 2011
Although "Isle Royale" is a historical thriller, it could also be considered action/adventure and would be an appropriate book for teens as well as adults. Ian, the protagonist, is a teenage boy, stuck on "Isle Royale" with no one his own age except Sally, the daughter of the assistant lighthouse keeper. Between school work and helping his dad, Ian is bored. He doesn’t relate well to his father who seems too serious. Ian will sometimes sneak away for fun and exploration, both alone and with Sally, but not nearly as often as he’d like.
A conflict with someone from his parent’s past forces Ian to mature quickly. Before the story reaches its resolution, Ian understands his father’s motivations and receives a lesson in responsibility. He also experiences the adventure of a lifetime. "Isle Royale" was a fun read with an unexpected supernatural twist.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog.**
A conflict with someone from his parent’s past forces Ian to mature quickly. Before the story reaches its resolution, Ian understands his father’s motivations and receives a lesson in responsibility. He also experiences the adventure of a lifetime. "Isle Royale" was a fun read with an unexpected supernatural twist.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog.**
September 1, 2011
I loved this book! I am particularly fond of books with Great Lakes backgrounds so this was an extra treat. Isle Royale is an island in Lake Superior and the book is just full of wonderful information on the dangers and beauties there. Set in the 1920s, Ian is the son of Clarence and Collene, the island's lightkeeper and his wife. He is a typical teenager, bored, restless, yet filled with life and enthusiasm -- especially for rock-climbing, jazz and Sally, the assistant lightkeeper's daughter.
One night a stranger arrives at the lighthouse and the adventure begins. Jean LeBeck was once a great friend of both of Ian's parents, and was once in love with Collene, but now, embittered by his experiences in World War I, he has turned to rum-running.
The book is a fun, fast, read full of phantoms, mysteries, old pirates and young adventure with a delicious feel for life on a Great Lake island and the life of lightkeepers. As I was reading the book it reminded me of my youth and some of the wonderful Disney-type adventure stories. Suitable for Young Adults but lots of fun for grown-ups, too.
One night a stranger arrives at the lighthouse and the adventure begins. Jean LeBeck was once a great friend of both of Ian's parents, and was once in love with Collene, but now, embittered by his experiences in World War I, he has turned to rum-running.
The book is a fun, fast, read full of phantoms, mysteries, old pirates and young adventure with a delicious feel for life on a Great Lake island and the life of lightkeepers. As I was reading the book it reminded me of my youth and some of the wonderful Disney-type adventure stories. Suitable for Young Adults but lots of fun for grown-ups, too.
May 30, 2012
Right off the bat this book gets high marks for having better than average editing for a kindle book. Many kindle books suffer from terrible editing but I only ran into one noticeable error -
I'm not sure "Living in a lighthouse can be murder" really quite fits, that seems like a tagline for more of a mystery book rather than an adventure, but the story is interesting and I liked the characters. The plot is slow at first but picks up fairly quickly with the real action coming at the very very end. I wasn't sure I was going to like Sally, but she turned out to be okay. I really enjoyed the fact that the setting was Lake Superior, that definitely made the story more interesting.
I'd say this book could be good for teenagers and adults alike.
I'm not sure "Living in a lighthouse can be murder" really quite fits, that seems like a tagline for more of a mystery book rather than an adventure, but the story is interesting and I liked the characters. The plot is slow at first but picks up fairly quickly with the real action coming at the very very end. I wasn't sure I was going to like Sally, but she turned out to be okay. I really enjoyed the fact that the setting was Lake Superior, that definitely made the story more interesting.
I'd say this book could be good for teenagers and adults alike.
June 13, 2012
3 1/2 Stars! I really enjoyed reading about some real landmarks in this fictional story. My family and I are taking our boat to Isle Royale this summer to explore, and plan on staying at campsites near where the author put parts of the novel. I have a few good "ghost" stories to tell around the fire now! :-)
February 22, 2011
Very good read. Lots of action to keep your interest.
October 18, 2019
It was a very interesting read. You definitely have to have an imagination, but the storyline was good, the pace of the story was good as well. It will keep you reading just to find out how it all plays out.
March 17, 2013
This book has a great premise, an interesting setting in both time and place and was full of adventure, but for all that, at times, it lagged a bit - maybe because too many scenes involved the characters being chased through the woods. The author does a great job at bringing the inhospitable environment of Isle Royale and Lake Superior to life so that at times, the island and "The Lady" were almost like another character in the story.
He also gives readers a well-developed villain, Jean LeBeck, who's much more than a cardboard cutout. Unfortunately, he surrounds LeBeck with an interchangeable cast of thugs. I lost count of how many times the word "thug" was used, but it quickly became repetitive and a bit annoying.
The crew of the Chippewa left me scratching my head a bit - I don't know if their secret was bad enough for an entire crew to exile themselves for decades on the island and I kept waiting for an explanation as to how a band of white-bearded old men was able to scramble up the ship's rigging "like monkeys" or to engage in hand-to-hand combat with an assortment of younger and tougher thugs (yep, here comes more thugs) and have a chance at winning. I also started to wonder how long people could endure being soaked to the skin with rain or after falling into the waters of Lake Superior and not develop any sort of hypothermia running around in a storm during a cold November night.
A few other minor inconsistencies struck me as well, such as the cannon fire that blew a hole in the thugs' (still more thugs here) motor boat, which they then drove away, and the same cannon reducing a larger boat to kindling a few chapters later.
I didn't realize that this was a young adult novel until I got to the end (Amazon didn't classify it as YA when I downloaded it to my Kindle), but I suspected it was geared to a younger audience part of the way through. The violence is never gratuitous or over the top and there isn't any foul language or sexual references, which can be a welcome change even for adult readers.
He also gives readers a well-developed villain, Jean LeBeck, who's much more than a cardboard cutout. Unfortunately, he surrounds LeBeck with an interchangeable cast of thugs. I lost count of how many times the word "thug" was used, but it quickly became repetitive and a bit annoying.
The crew of the Chippewa left me scratching my head a bit - I don't know if their secret was bad enough for an entire crew to exile themselves for decades on the island and I kept waiting for an explanation as to how a band of white-bearded old men was able to scramble up the ship's rigging "like monkeys" or to engage in hand-to-hand combat with an assortment of younger and tougher thugs (yep, here comes more thugs) and have a chance at winning. I also started to wonder how long people could endure being soaked to the skin with rain or after falling into the waters of Lake Superior and not develop any sort of hypothermia running around in a storm during a cold November night.
A few other minor inconsistencies struck me as well, such as the cannon fire that blew a hole in the thugs' (still more thugs here) motor boat, which they then drove away, and the same cannon reducing a larger boat to kindling a few chapters later.
I didn't realize that this was a young adult novel until I got to the end (Amazon didn't classify it as YA when I downloaded it to my Kindle), but I suspected it was geared to a younger audience part of the way through. The violence is never gratuitous or over the top and there isn't any foul language or sexual references, which can be a welcome change even for adult readers.
January 2, 2013
A good young adult adventure! Takes place in the early 1900s on (you guessed it) Isle Royale, an island in Lake Superior. It involves smugglers, lighthouse keepers, and ghostly lights in the distance. Over everything lies the whims of the Old Lady, Lake Superior herself. I think boys would especially like this.
November 22, 2011
I chose this book because of the title. Living on the south shores of Lake Superior, I understand the many moods of the lake. I gave it three stars for the title. The story was rather dark, with some dark characters, but it ended okay.
July 23, 2014
I really wanted to read this book, but I'm at chapter 10 and still just can't get into it.... So even though I have a rule about finishing every book I start, I just can't do it.... I'm quitting and starting a new book....
March 11, 2012
It's a pretty decent story all the way through, good plot, good characters. That last 10% or so when the whiskey runners become the main story is where it really gets good in my opinion.
April 19, 2012
Pretty good story. Really enjoyed it. Descriptions were great. You could sense the fury of the Lakes in the fall.
July 20, 2012
What a great story on Lake Superior
March 20, 2015
good read
It was not what I expected, and though it started out slow, but it turned out to be pretty gripping.
It was not what I expected, and though it started out slow, but it turned out to be pretty gripping.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews